Oil-purifying device



Oct. 18, 1927 T J UTI-E JR 1,646,298

O'L PUBIFYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 11, 1919 Pennac a. is, i921.

UNITED A STATESl PATENT orsi-cs.

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Application led November 11, 1919. Serial No. 337,139.

Briefly stated,- the objects are, first, to keep' the lubricatin oil in the crank case free of gasoline an water off-condensation which may have passed the pistons, and

i secondly, to dispose of the vapors distilled from the oil so that fthe air surrounding the engine will not .be -filled with objectionable fumes to annoy'the operator, if the engine i's stationary, and the driver and passengers in the case of "a motor car. A further object is to ovide a means whereby any va pors whic vmay gatherl in the crank case of the engine are withdrawn therefrom and disposed of in the same manner, which is referably b introducing them into the caruretor intalie or intake manifold where the partial vacuum, due to the operation of the pistons exercises a suilicient suction to con tinually withdraw such vapors.

One embodiment of the resent invention will be full disclosed in t e following description, w en taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,.in which Fig. 1 isa top view of an internal combustion engine, particularly applicable for use in connection with automobiles having myv invention incorporated therewith;

- Fig. 2- is a sideview of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the oil heating element.

The invention is applicable to all types ,of internal combustion engines in w ich a crank case or reservoir for collectin the lubricating oil is provided. In the, rawings I have represented the principal portions of a six cylinder automobile engine in which the crank case is indicated at 10, the exhaust manifold at 11, the intake manifold at 12, and the carburetorv at 13, this carburetor havin an auxilia p air inlet 14. The various ot er details o the engine are-not il1ustrated, inasmuch as their particular design vand construction has no important relation to the details of the present invention.

Mounted upon the exhaust pi 11, and preferably integral therewith, as illustrated, is the oil heating element or chamber 15, illustrated in detail in Figure 3. This heating element is shown located at the rear of p 5 the cylinders where the exhaust Amanifold becomes hottest, but it may be located if desited, at any convenient point along the exclose.

haust pipe. This hea-ting element comprises simply7 a closed chamber havin ports in its opposite ends, which serve as et and outlet respectivelyfor the crank case oil, and ports in its top comprising respectively va or inlet and outleltnports. A pipe or con uit 16 connects the etport 17 of the heating element 15 to a pump ccnventionallygillustrated at 18, which is located at 'the bottom of the crank case, and is Yadapted to be oper? ated from the crank shaft. A. pipe or con'- duit `19 connects the outlet ort 20 with the endofthe crank case 10 an y preferabl vhas its oriceat a higher levelfthan 4the in et toI the pump. y Intermediate the endsv of this conduit 19 is a coolin chamber 21, which, as shown, is substantially cylindrical, and 1s provided with heat radiating fins. This chamber serves to slow up the passa e of the oil from the heating element 15 bac to the lcrank case, and to hold it a sufficient length secured to the end o f'a long spindle or valve stem 25 extending from the opposite endof the chamber 15, controls the passage of oil through this port and hence itsv rate of iiow through the chamber 15. The spindle or valve stem25 is composed of ametal which does not expand or contract when heated, and inasmuch as the -exhaust manifold is constructed of expansible metal, it will be seen that as the latter heats up, the valve will open, and as-it cools the valve will tend to The valve stem'is screw threaded at 26, through the plug 27 in the end of the chamber l5, whereby the valve 24 may be easily adjusted relatively v'to the seat 23, inv

accordance with working conditions.

The vapor outlet port'y 23 is connected by means of a pipe or conduit 29 -to the auxiliar air inlet 14 of the carburetor, in whic a `slight vacuum 1s alwa present. Although the vacuum is in some instances so air may enter to replace the vapors withdrawn through pipe '29, but I preferably connect this inlet port, by means of a ipe r conduit 31 with the upper portion o the crank case 10, above the level of the lubrieating oil therein.

It will be obvious that the pump 18 should be of a type which will not be injured by back pressure,` or shouldl be provided with a Y safety device, which will preventexcessive sid'evei" the-pump when the engine is cold pressure being gengigijted/onf'the pressure onfstarting and the valve 24 is closed, or

nearly closed. As the engine heats up the exhaust manifold expands, while the valve stem 25 does not, thus causing valve 24 t0 leave its seat 23 and open more and more the oil port in the partition 22. As this oil port opens the pump 18, which, of course, tends to supply oil at a rate proportional to the speed of the engine, forces increasing amounts of oil through the heating chamber 15 in a given time.

'As' the lubricating oil passes through the heating chamber its temperature is raised to a degree above theboiling point .of water, but preferably below 250 above which temperature many oils are liable to be injured, and the water and gasolene are vaporized.

The vapors are continually withdrawn from4 `the chamber and conducted to the carburetor, from where they 'pass to the cylinders.

The thermostatic control of the rate of flowthrough the heating chamber is provided `for the purpose of keeping the oil within the limit of temperature selected, it being obvious that a rapid flow should be permitted when the exhaust manifold is hot and that the iow should be slow when the maiiifold is cool, in order that the proper dis- ,tilling effect be realized.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous arrangements of the piping and other features of the invention may be used and I do not, therefore, limit myv'Self to the exact form described and illustrated, but desire it to be understood that the invention may be embodied in numerous alternative constructions.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a reservoir for the lubricating oil, of. means for removing the volatile impurities in the oil by distillation,

' .said means including an oil heating element, a conduit for conductin the oil from the reservoir to the heating ement, a conylecting the lubricating oil, of means for removing the volatile impurities in the oil by distillation, said means including an oil heating element, a conduit for conducting the oil from the reservoir to the heating element, a conduit for returning the oil to the reservoir, andthermostatic means res onsive to changes in temperature of the eatingelement' for automatically controlling the flow of oil into the heating element.

3. The combinationwith an internal combustion engine having- -a reservoir for the lubricating oil, of means for removing the volatile impurities in the oil bydistillation,

said means including an oil heating element, a conduit for conducting the oil from the reservoir to the heating element, a conduit for returninr the oil to the reservoir, a valve controlling the flow of -oil through the heating element, and thermostatic means 'for moving the valve, said means being responsive to change in temperature of the heating element. l

4. The combination with an internal combustion engine having-a reservoir for the lubricating oi1,of means for removing thevolatile impurities in the `oil by distillation, said means including an oil heating element 100 mounted uponthe exhaust pipe and having an oil port therein, a conduit lfor conducting oil rom the reservoir to the heating element, a conduit for returnin the oil to the reservoir, a valve for controlngthe flow of 10d oily through the oil port and thermostatic means for determining the extent 'of valve openin for' thepurpose set forth, said means eing responsive to change in temperature of the heating element,

5. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a reservoir for the lubricating oil, ofmeans for removing the volatile impurities in the oil by distillation, said means including an oil heating element, 11: a conduit for conducting the oil from the reservoir to the heating element, a pumpfor forcing oil through'. said conduit, a conduit for returning the oil to the reservoir, means 'for cooling the oil passing from 'the 121 heating element to the reservoir, and thermostatic means for regulating the flow of oil throu h the heating "e ement, said last mentione means being responsive to changes in temperature of said heating element.

6. A purifier for the lubricating oil of an internal combustion engine .consisting of a heating chamber having a volatile gas4 outlet, means for heating said chamber, means to cause lubricant to flow from said engine l engine to said heating chamber a thermostat for controllin the ow of lubricant into l0 said heatingl cham er, and means to cool said heated lubricant and return said cooled lui bricant to the en ne.

In testimony w ereof I aix my signature.

THOMAS J. LITLE, Jn; 

